Arrested Development (season 2)

The second season of the television comedy series Arrested Development aired between November 7, 2004 and April 17, 2005, on Fox in the United States. It consisted of 18 episodes, each running approximately 22 minutes in length. The second season was released on DVD in region 1 on October 11, 2005, in region 2 on January 23, 2006 and in region 4 on March 15, 2006.

The show's storyline centers on the Bluth family, a formerly wealthy, habitually dysfunctional family and is presented in a continuous format, incorporating hand-held camera work, narration, archival photos, and historical footage.

Plot

Because of his father's latest prison break deception (a faked heart attack), Michael decides to leave his family and move to Phoenix, Arizona with George Michael, but discovers that due to the Bluth Company being under investigation he cannot leave the state. Lucille appoints Gob the new Bluth Company president, but since Gob proves utterly incompetent, the position's real duties revert to Michael. During the rest of the season Gob serves as figurehead president; Michael is still under scrutiny for George Sr.'s illegal activity.

George Sr. is not, in fact, gone. After faking his death in Mexico by paying off the cops, George Sr. returns to the family model home, where George Michael discovers him and hides him in the attic. To protect his son from legal implications, Michael hides George Sr. in Gob's Aztec Tomb, orchestrates a diversion, and tells the family that George Sr. has escaped once more. Throughout the rest of the season, Michael sneaks George Sr. provisions and George Sr. keeps tabs on the Bluth family through the ventilation system. George Sr. also faces onslaught from the outside world; the press begins looking for him in Iraq, fumigators surround the house while he's still in the attic, and Kitty returns to steal a sample of his semen to make her own Bluth baby.

Buster meanwhile joins the army, but escapes serving in Iraq when his hand is bitten off by a loose seal (a play on "Lucille") Gob mistakenly gave a taste for mammal flesh. Buster is refitted with a sharp hook, which he brandishes dangerously near his relatives' faces. During Buster's long psychological recovery, he bonds with George Sr.'s stoned twin brother Oscar, who moves in with Lucille in an attempt to rekindle a past love affair. Uncle Oscar slowly reveals himself as Buster's presumptive biological father. Eventually, George Sr. takes revenge on the adulterous Oscar and Lucille by kidnapping Oscar, knocking him unconscious, exchanging appearances with him, and sending him to prison in his place.

Lindsay and Tobias continue their disastrous open relationship. Lindsay tries (but fails) to secure a lover, while Tobias paints himself blue each night in a futile attempt to join the Blue Man Group. When Lindsay kicks him out of the house, Tobias disguises himself as a singing British nanny named "Mrs. Featherbottom" (an idea he gets from the film Mrs. Doubtfire) so he can watch over his daughter Maeby. The family sees right through this incompetent disguise, but they humor Tobias—in the guise of Mrs. Featherbottom he also does their chores.

George Michael begins dating a deeply religious girl, Ann Veal, who encourages him to smash pop music CDs and to run for student body president against perennial favorite Steve Holt. Michael dislikes her and tries to disrupt the kids' relationship, most notably by breaking up Ann and George Michael's pre-engagement. Meanwhile, Maeby cons her way into an after school job as a film studio executive. When Maeby's studio remakes "Les Cousins Dangereux", George Michael abandons Ann to pursue his crush on Maeby. George Michael and Maeby kiss while the living room of the model home collapses under them.

Cast

• Jason Bateman as Michael Bluth
• Portia de Rossi as Lindsay Fünke
• Will Arnett as Gob Bluth
• Michael Cera as George Michael Bluth
• Alia Shawkat as Maeby Fünke
• Tony Hale as Buster Bluth
• David Cross as Tobias Fünke
• Jeffrey Tambor as George and Oscar Bluth
• Jessica Walter as Lucille Bluth
• Ron Howard as Narrator (uncredited)

Episodes

Reception

Critical reception

In its second season, Arrested Development was met with widespread critical acclaim. On the review aggregator website Metacritic, the second season scored 88 out of 100, based on 15 reviews, indicating "Universal acclaim".^[19]

Awards and nominations

In 2005, the second season received eleven Emmy nominations in seven categories with one win. It was nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (Jason Bateman), Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (Jeffrey Tambor), Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (Jessica Walter), Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series (Barbie Adler for "Sad Sack" and Brad Copeland for "Sword of Destiny"); Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series; Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series (three nominations).^[20] The episode "Righteous Brothers", written by Mitchell Hurwitz and Jim Vallely won for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series.^[21]

The second season also received two Golden Globe nominations in two categories with one win. It was nominated for Best Series Musical or Comedy, and Jason Bateman won for Best Performance in a Musical or Comedy.^[22]

Home media releases

The second season was released on DVD in region 1 on October 11, 2005,^[23] in region 2 on January 23, 2006^[24] and in region 4 on March 15, 2006.^[25] Special features include commentary by creator Mitchell Hurwitz and cast members on "Good Grief", "Ready, Aim, Marry Me!" and "Righteous Brothers"; deleted and extended scenes; Season One in 3 Minutes overview; blooper reel; "The Immaculate Election" Campaign Videos.^[26]

References

External links

• List of Arrested Development episodes at the Internet Movie Database
• List of Arrested Development season 2 episodes at TV.com